An Unsuspecting Hero
by SquintSquad10
Summary: My first multichapter, and hey, a plotline somehow sneaked its way in there! BB fluff to come. Reviews make me smile. LAST CHAPTER UP NOW!
1. Chapter 1

The doorbell rang in Temperance Brennan's apartment.

"Bones, Bones open up." Special Agent Seely Booth rapped on the door with his free hand, the other balancing a heaping box of Wong Foo's. He sighed, laid the box on the floor outside the door, and knocked again. "Come on, Bones. I know you're awake."

Pause.

Silence.

Booth smiled his charm smile, although he knew Tempe couldn't see him, and added as an incentive, "I brought Wong Foo's…?" He pressed his ear to the clammy door of room 2B, listening for footsteps, breathing…anything.

Pause.

Nothing.

It was too quiet, he thought to himself. Something was wrong. He dug around in the pocket of his jeans, extracting a platinum silver credit card from his wallet. Sliding it through the door and under the lock in true FBI fashion, he heard the click of the lock pop open. He rested his palm on the handle and stopped a moment, glancing down at the box of Chinese food at his feet before opening the door. It creaked in displeasure as he slowly stepped into Brennan's apartment. "Bones?" He peered into the living room, the kitchen, the bedroom.

Pause.

No one.

Booth drew his gun from its holster on his belt and walked around the apartment once more. There was a beer bottle on the coffee table, half empty. The cushions on her couch were displaced, and still warm. She had been there.

He walked into her bedroom once more. A slight breeze ran over his forehead as he turned to face an open window just off to the side of the bed. A bird chirped outside.

Bones did not seem like the type of person who liked listening to birds chirp. She would not keep her window open, not when she was trying to figure out a case as she was today. It had been a trying case for them all, as they dealt with a new kind of serial killer named Blake. He would locked his victims in a freezer in his basement, then went about living his normal life as if nothing was wrong. As if there wasn't a human suffering from lack of oxygen, and probably hypothermia, in his basement. It had made Angela sick, as usual, but had seemed to get under Brennan's skin as well, Booth had noticed.

Striding towards the window, Booth noticed a little pink object stuck in the blinds. Looking closer, a smile spread across his face. It was Jasper the Pig. Booth had given Jasper to Bones ages ago when she was particularly upset about a case. Booth started to walk away, paying the little pig no more notice.

Pause.

_Wait_.

Bones always kept Jasper with her. He lived in a special pocket in her bag, the bag that contained her current files. The bag that went with her everywhere. That way, he was always there to comfort her. What was Jasper doing stuck in the window if he never left that pocket?

Booth's eyes grew wide as he whipped out his cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Ange."

"Booth?" Shocked to hear his voice on the other end, Angela quickly began to expect the worst. "What is it, sweetie, is Brennan alright?"

"That's the thing. I-" He ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "I don't know." He proceeded to tell her about Jasper and the open window, but Angela seemed quizzical.

"Well, maybe she just went for a walk. I mean, Booth, it's only a toy pig. Maybe he just fell out of her bag when she was changing out of her work clothes or something." Always one for gossip, Angela smiled to herself and raised an eyebrow. "What were you doing at her place this late, anyways?"

"Ange, this is serious, okay. Bones is missing; can you try to focus here?" Angela could here the frustration in his voice, and decided to temporarily let him off the hook. But she _would_ ask him again later—he couldn't dodge her that easily. "I'm gonna go check the lab, will you come over here and wait?"

Angela agreed and promised to call him the instant his partner came back or made contact with her. "Hey, Booth," she added before hanging up, "We'll find her, okay? It's gonna be alright."

"Yeah," Booth replied quickly. "I know." He clicked off his cell phone and ran out the door of Tempe's apartment, the box of Wong Foo's still waiting patiently outside the door.


	2. Chapter 2

"Bones." Booth's head popped inside the forensic anthropologist's office. He waited a moment, thinking that maybe she was hiding? Or in the closet? _Hey, you never know_.

Pause.

Nothing.

He paced around the office for a few minutes. _Think, Booth. _The ring of his cell phone caught him off guard; he jumped and eagerly picked up after the first ring. "Bones."

"Nope, sorry Sweetie, it's Ange." Back in Brennan's apartment, she was pacing herself. She bit her lip and took a deep breath before continuing. "We, uh… we found something."

Booth could hear her choke back tears. Whatever it was, it wasn't good. He lowered his voice, trying to sooth her. Trying to sooth himself. "Angela, what is it?"

Her voice was raw, high pitched. She was trying so hard to be strong. "We found a note…" Angela took another breath, wiped a tear from her cheek. "It was in her freezer."

Pause.

Silence.

Booth was still. He stood in his partner's empty office, unable to speak. His throat tightened. He could feel his heartbeat quicken; he was sure Angela could hear it thumping even through the phone. He blinked rapidly, trying to be rational like Bones would have done. _She needs me to be strong. She needs me to find her._ After what seemed like an eternity, he answered. "What…what did it say?"

Angela unfolded the soggy piece of paper in her hands. It was crumbled up, the jet blank ink starting to smear from the moist freezer air. It broke her heart to read those few lines. Her hands shook as she read out loud to Booth.

"**2011 Fleischer Street**

**Better hurry up, Agent Booth…**

**Her lips are turning blue."**

Angela couldn't take it anymore. Her body began to shake as her sobs grew louder. Booth could not pry his eyes away from the empty desk sitting before him. _Blake_, he muttered to himself. "On my way now. 2011 Fleischer Street. If I'm not back in a few hours, I'm probably dead," he joked, only half-serious, trying to get a laugh out of Angela. He ran to his black SUV waiting outside the Jeffersonian. _I'll be there soon, Bones. Don't worry._

Speeding down the street, Booth remembered Tempe's words. _Where's the siren on this thing, Booth? _He flicked on the neon red and blue sirens, not wanting anything in the way of him and his Bones. _My Bones_, he thought again with a chuckle. It was the first time he had laughed since he reached her apartment—funny that only Bones could make him smile at a time like this.

He drove in silence along the highway. Turning on the radio felt too cavalier for this situation, but he wasn't used to being in the car alone in silence. Usually it was his partner lounging in the passenger seat, chatting away. They would argue, and she would frustrate him to no end, but they would laugh. For once, he missed the arguing. He wished that she was there to lecture him about how there was no God, or about his "alpha male" tendencies, or about not giving her a gun. _You got me, I'm your gun_, he had said then. But the one time he had really needed her, had he been there? No. And he hated himself for it.

He pushed the gas harder. In a flash of anger and self-pity, he almost missed the exit. Screeching into the right lane, he turned off the expressway onto a narrow dirt road. It was old, and seemed to be hardly ever traveled upon. Dirt flew up in a cloud around the car as he raced down the road just a little too fast. Tiny rocks poked and prodded his thick tires, threatening them. He didn't care.

Darkness blanketed everything around him. The sky was angry and billowing, the clouds teasing a storm. Farmland surrounded the tiny road on either side, horses rearing their heads as he drove by. It reminded him of Jasper. He pushed the gas harder.

_Does anyone even _live_ out here? _

It was almost midnight when Booth saw a large house teetering atop a hill in the distance. The house was dark, and on such a cloudy, starless night he almost missed it. He slowed his car to a crawl, silently turning off the engine. Creeping towards the door, he noticed there were no lights on in the house. _Maybe he left_, Booth thought. Hoped. Flicking out his cell phone, he called for backup. As much as he wanted to rescue Brennan himself, to be the hero, he knew that tackling a serial killer alone was stupid.

Pause.

_Okay_.

The walk to the front door seemed to take an eternity. Halfway through Booth broke into a jog, slamming shoulder-first into the wooden door to open it. Creaking with age, the door swung open. Booth peered left and right, as if crossing the street, and after deeming the coast clear he began frantically looking for the basement.

His days as a Sniper came in handy now, his ability to barge into and ransack any unknown house allowed him to find the basement in a matter of minutes. Running down the stairs, his breath quickened, fearing what he would find when he reached the bottom. His heart throbbed through his ears, his whole head pounding. His hair was mussed from worried hands running through it, beads of nervous sweat dripping down his cheek. Her face flashed through his mind every second, a montage of moments he would always treasure. He remembered the feeling of holding her in his arms, of pulling her into a tight embrace when things went bad. How his heart broke when he felt her soft tears drop onto his shoulder. How happy and at ease she was when they danced to "Hot Blooded" in her apartment. It was a moment he would never forget—he had broken down her high walls and for those few shining minutes, she had let her guard down. She was just Bones.

_My Bones._

He remembered pulling her out from underground when she was buried alive, and the smile that spread across her face when she realized she was safe. Safe with Booth. He remembered staying up with her when she was upset, eating Wong Foo's, and how she looked so peaceful when she was asleep. How she looked so serious and perplexed when she said "I don't know what that means." She was so damn cute when she was confused. He loved how her soft auburn hair curled lightly at her shoulders, a smile tugging at her lips when he strode into the lab with a new case. Oh, that smile…it was different every time. Sometimes it was slight, hardly even there. Sometimes it was ear-to-ear, like when he had given her Jasper.

_Jasper._

That snapped him back to reality. He had to find her—that couldn't be the end of the story. If nothing else, he had more of those moments to look forward to. Once down the basement stairs, Booth was faced with yet another locked door. He picked the lock with ease, his head spinning as he turned the doorknob. That room could be his relief, his dream come true. Or it could be his worst nightmare.

Pause.

Open.


	3. Chapter 3

An enormous, musty room lay before him. It easily stretched for hundreds, if not thousands of feet. The white paint on the walls was chipping, and the floors were stained reddish-brown.

_Blood. Great, that's just wonderful_, he thought to himself.

The room was dotted with large, silver, stainless-steal freezers. Booth was disgusted—how could anyone lock a human being in a freezer? It was the most bizarre, sickening way to kill someone, and he was sure it was justified as cruel and unusual punishment. Having no way to figure out which freezer Brennan was in, he did the only thing he could think of.

"BONES!"

There was silence. Then, after the longest few seconds of Booth's life, he heard a muffled response. It wasn't much, and he couldn't even be sure it was really Brennan, but it was all he had to go on. Following the small voice, he ran to his left. Stopping in front of a freezer labeled "B" with a big white sign, he kept talking. "Bones, it's me. Hang in there, it's gonna be okay, I'm gonna get you out. I'm right here." He heard another weak, inaudible response. He didn't have much time.

Setting to work on the padlocked freezer, Booth continued to speak soothing words into its depths. He was not even sure Tempe could hear him, but he spoke nevertheless. Slowly, as he calmed down, he began to chatter about their usual things, as if she was right there next to him.

"I know what you're thinking, Bones, my 'alpha-male tendencies', blah blah blah." He smiled. "But, you know, Angela doesn't call me your knight in shining FBI standard issue body armor for nothing." He laughed, a small, hesitant laugh, as if he was breaking some kind of rule to be laughing at a time like this. He could almost see Brennan grinning back, probably whacking him on the arm with her case file if the same conversation had been held in her office.

_Click_.

Booth forgot he was even working on the lock; he was too focused on talking to Brennan. So when it popped open in his hands, he was more than a bit surprised. Finally realizing what it meant, he swiftly put a hand on the freezer door. His mind was racing. _Is she hurt? Is she even alive? Will she be glad to see me? Of course, you stupid idiot, why wouldn't she? You're saving her life!_

Booth's tug-of-war with his conscious continued on for what seemed like ever, until, snapping back to reality, he realized he had not yet opened the door. He threw it open with all his strength, as if it was a hundred pound boulder and not a thin handle, expecting to see Brennan standing before him.

Instead he got a gun pressed to his temple.

Booth heard the barrel of the gun click into place. He knew that if he moved even a muscle, Blake, who he assumed was the one holding the gun to his head, would not hesitate to shoot him. But he wasn't focusing on that.

He was focusing on the pair of icy blue eyes staring back at him.

They were sunken deep in her head, red and swollen. Eyeliner was smudged at the crease of her lids. He could tell she'd been crying. His eyes searched hers, looking for the twinkle that normally resided there. Looking for hope.

"Agent Booth, _so_ glad you could make it," Blake sneered from behind him, laughing a cruel, menacing laugh. He pressed the gun harder against Booth's skull; Booth could feel it digging into the side of his head, a slight trickle of blood running down his cheek. He stood, jaw set, forcing himself not to fight back. He didn't want Bones hurt, and he knew that's exactly what Blake would do if he got the chance.

Blake knew that hurting Brennan did more damage to Booth than a punch or a bullet ever would.

"Here to save your lady scientist? Make the _pain_," he stressed, "go away?" Snickering, Blake continued on. "Well, you get what you wanted Agent Booth, here is your beloved Temperance Brennan." Knocking Booth over the head with the gun, he shoved him roughly into the freezer next to Tempe, quietly laughing to himself as Booth's shoulder collided with the back of the freezer; the force of the push causing him to unwillingly collapse to his knees on the floor.

A cry emerged from Brennan, muffled by the tape covering mouth.

"Uh-oh," Blake teased in a sing-song voice, "Looks like with Agent Booth in there, that's a little less oxygen for you, Dr. Brennan…now now, that _is_ a shame." With a snort, Blake turned, slamming the freezer door on the two partners.

An ominous, frightening darkness engulfed them.

Picking his head up and tentatively standing, Booth closed the small space between them to stand directly in front of Brennan. Wiping a tear from her cheek with the pad of his thumb, he held her face in his hands. Gingerly, he began to undo the knotted rope that had been tied around her hands, softly taking the tape off her mouth. Then, finally, he looked into her eyes and pulled her gently towards him, wrapping his arms around her tightly. He allowed her to sob quietly into his chest, arms wrapped him, as he softly, tenderly stroked her hair. "Shhh, it's okay. Temperance. I'm right here, shhhh, it's gonna be alright," he cooed.

He tightened his grip around her and pulled her closer, never wanting to let go.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Sorry it's been a while since I've updated, guys. But lucky for you: I'm sick, so i've spent the entire day so far writing, as i can do nothing but just sit in bed. Which means more chapters to update for you guys!! Teehee. This chapter isn't too eventful, but it sets things up for next chapter. Ahhh, next chapter... insert evil laugh here

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"Ange?" The entomologist paused to yawn, propping himself up to get a glimpse of the clock on his left. "Jesus, it's almost 2 AM," he groaned, flopping back down onto his plush feather bed.

"Hodgins…" Angela trailed off, trying to compose herself before recounting the events of the past few hours. She took a deep breath, and tried to start again. "I-It's Brenan, she--" Her voice cracked into a small sob.

Hodgins sat up straight once again, hearing the panic and tears in his fiancé's voice. "Shhh, Angela, it's okay, calm down. Just tell me what happened." He could hear her deep breath hitch as she inhaled. "It's okay," he repeated.

After a few long seconds, Angela began to tell Hodgins all that had happened that night--from Tempe getting kidnapped, to Booth rushing in after her, and finally to the fact that Booth had been gone for a good hour and a half now, and no one had seen or heard of him since he left. She was worried, and Jack Hodgins, self-deemed "Bug and Slime Guy" could tell.

"Well, what do you think? Should we go in after Booth? You know, this all seems a little--" He stopped, blocking out his conspiracy theorist thoughts before he said something inappropriate. Angela needed comfort—heck, _he_ needed comfort. Angela's best friend, his own boss and friend, was missing, kidnapped, and it scared them no end. She was the strongest person they knew. She made the rest of them strong. Without her, they fell apart.

And then there was Seely Booth.

Angela had complete faith in Booth. She knew how much he loved Brennan, the lengths he would go to in order to protect and bring back "His Bones". There was nothing he wouldn't do for her, and Angela knew that. But she also knew that Booth was only human; there was only so much he _could_ do.

"He would want to go in himself, Jack. He would want to rescue her himself." She smiled. "To be her knight in shining FBI standard-issue body armor."

Hodgins simply laughed. "And your point is…?"

"What if…" she paused, biting her lip, before—hesitantly—continuing, "What if he didn't make it? What if he didn't find the house, or Brennan wasn't there when he got there, or…Hodgins, what if he got caught by Blake, too? There are just so many things that could have gone wrong."

"You're right. Not that _that's_ any surprise," he added. He could just see a smile stretching across her face. _The smile that makes me melt_, he thought to himself. "So, what do you wanna do?"

"That's the thing, I-I'm not sure how much we _can_ do. I mean, this guy sounds really dangerous. We're going to have to outsmart him." The two scientists paused, thinking.

Then, at the exact same moment, they had it.

"Zack."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Huddled next to Booth, Temperance Brennan's teeth chattered.

They were sitting down, backs to the wall of the freezer, arms hugging their touching knees. Feeling her shiver, Booth took his arm, which had previously been wrapped around his legs, and stretched it over Brennan's shoulders. He pulled her closer, if that was possible, drawing circles on her shoulder blade with the pad of his thumb.

She was freezing. There was no doubt that the cold had reached every part of her body, her lips taking on a bluish tinge and her joints becoming stiff. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably, growing worse as time progressed. As strong as she was mentally, her frail body could only handle so much.

And yet despite the cold raging over her skin, her blood boiled. It tingled with his every touch, a heat erupting underneath her skin every time he hugged her, every time he pulled her nearer. It was a battle of temperatures, of emotions. The cold, the scared, the lonely covering her body, spreading through her, would eventually overtake her—this she knew. But the warm, the love and the faith and the hope coursed through her veins, fighting back. Refusing to give up. With every touch, every time Booth looked into her eyes and told her it was going to be okay, warmth took over.

Slowly, tentatively, she laid her head on his shoulder.

Closing her eyes, she let her body relax into his. His arm tightened around her shoulders, his thumb now stroking the soft skin of her upper arm. Her nose buried into the crook of his neck, she could smell his smell.

_Getting closer is the only logical way of keeping warm_, she told herself to justify her actions. Whatever the reasoning, she loved feeling his arm around her, feeling protected. Feeling loved. But mostly, feeling safe. She always felt safe, sheltered from the evils of the world when she was with him. She knew that Booth wouldn't let anything happen to her. In his arms, nothing could penetrate her. He was her shield. In his arms she was happy, cozy as he massaged her arm and hugged her tighter. In his arms was where she belonged, and she never wanted to let go.

Blame it on the cold.

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**A/N**: Two fluffy endings in a row, because I'm trying to make up for future cliffie endings. See that little blue button at the bottom that says "GO" next to "Submit Review"? Click it. I'll give you a cookie.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** So, I know it's been WAY too long since I've updated, and I'm so so sorry. I've been so busy with finals and all, but now school's over, and I'll have much more time to write. Chapters will be coming a lot faster now. Anyways, I hope you're enjoying this, I know I certainly am writing it. I'd say there's only one, maybe two more chapters left after this...but I already have an idea for a new story, so don't worry! And don't forget to review, they're what keep me going! Please please please, there's about 20 people with this on alert and most of you haven't reviewed...so with only one or two chapters to go, now's your time!!

A grin spread across Booth's face as he glanced down at Brennan's head resting on his shoulder. She looked so peaceful, her head nuzzled into the crook of her neck, the two fitting together perfectly like puzzle pieces. It was perfect.

It was _right_.

And for once, Booth didn't try and push that thought from his mind. Under normal circumstances he would screech that train of thought to a stop, wipe it from his brain. He wouldn't let himself think like that. They were _partners_, and he wouldn't let himself think about anything beyond that.

Usually.

But now, right here, under these conditions, he didn't feel like fooling himself. He didn't feel like spending hours battling his conscience, dissecting all the reasons it was wrong to think of her like that; reasons it was wrong for him to love her. Right now, he let that little thought float happily within his head, letting it warm his body. Letting it warm his heart.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"Zack." Angela screeched to a halt at the top of the platform, Hodgins quickly swiping his card to silence the sirens and flashing lights that had erupted from the Jeffersonian Institute as she dashed to find him.

Not taking his eyes off of the bone he was so intently cleaning, Zack gave an annoyed, uninterested, "What?" Angela stepped over to the table where Zack was scrutinizing his bone, snatching it from his hands. "You're compromising evidence! Put it down!" Zack argued.

"Ohhhh no, man, this is _not_ the day to mess with Angela." But the entomologist's warning was too late.

Angela stuck a hand to her hip, tapping her heels menacingly against the echoing ceramic floor of the Jeffersonian, gearing up for her speech. She was so angry, she couldn't even let herself feel the emotion of the news she was telling Zack, couldn't let the tears flow when she told him why she was here. Now she was just mad. "Zachary Uriah Addy, you listen to me. Brennan has been kidnapped and Booth is missing, and you, being the genius you are, are going to help us come up with a plan to get them back, you hear me?!"

All Zack could do was stare.

It was too much to take in. The site of Angela this mad was enough to scare him out of his wits, but with the news she was delivering… it was bone chilling. He had experienced the fear of knowing Dr. Brennan was missing, not once but twice already. It scared him no end. He remembered what it felt like when Booth was kidnapped, how scared and alone he felt then, even though his relationship with Booth was anything but normal. But in both scenarios, he knew one partner would find the other. They would do whatever it took.

Now both partners were missing. It was up to the Squint Squad.

"Yes," was all he managed to muster. And with that one simple word, the three scientists began to concoct a plan.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Twenty minutes and five cartons of Chinese take-out later, the threesome was on their way. Following Zack's careful instructions, they arrived at FleischerStreet, FBI backup arriving just minutes after Hodgins, Angela and Zack. After a livid phone call from Angela wondering why there was no FBI support, Director Cullen had quickly explained that when his agents arrived at 2011 Fleischer Street and didn't see Booth's SUV, they were ordered to circle the area to be sure they didn't have the wrong address. Now that they had confirmation, they were at the old, rickety house in minutes.

"Now, I'm gonna have to ask that you three stay back, wouldn't want anyone getting hurt now, would we?" One piercing glare from Angela told the Tac Team leader that there was no way in hell _that_ was happening. Resigning himself to that fact, he sheepishly handed the three vests and guns, warning them that the gun was for protection only.

The door was open in seconds. After a quick sweep around the apartment, they found the way to the basement, Hodgins and Angela leading the way, Zack hot on their heels. It was all a blur to them. There were feet stampeding down the basement stairs, orders yelled, a lock being picked in record time.

A doorknob being turned.

It was the most sickening thing Angela had ever seen. There were bloodstained floors, the tile cold and unforgiving under her heels. The freezers were everywhere. _Are there people…other people in those freezers?_ But Angela knew she didn't have time to think. Unaware of everything else happening around her, she was determined to find Brennan and Booth.

"Booth! Brennan! I'm here you guys," her voice cracked despite her efforts to remain collected. _Where are you_, she whispered, almost to herself.

And then she heard it.

It was weak, soft, barely above a whisper. It was the sweet, husky voice of Seely Booth.

"Angela."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Temperance Brennan heard footsteps in the distance.

She lifted her head from its resting place in Booth's neck, and immediately missed the warmth it brought. Her head spun, everything was foggy and for a moment she thought she had only imagined hearing the steps. But then she felt Booth's grip tighten around her, his back stiffen. He heard it, too.

_It's Blake_.

Tempe pulled away a little more, slowly turning to look at him. His eyes met hers, searching them for one last thread of hope. They couldn't give up now. With one arm still tight around her shoulders, pulling her body into his, he took the other and wrapped it around her waist, scooping her into his lap. He sat with his arms crossed protectively over her, resting on her stomach and pulling her closer. His hand grasped hers, lightly caressing her thumb. He squeezed it for support as she let herself relax back into him, trying to get a few more moments of peace.

Inside the cold, Brennan was oddly comfy. If this was the end, if she was going to die here, this was how she wanted to do it. She couldn't think of a better way to spend her last moments than snuggled up against Booth. If she was going to die, she was going to die happy in Booth's arms. She let her eyes shut, her mind drifting off into blackness.

"Bones. Bones, come on, stay with me." Booth was squeezing her tightly, wiling her to open her eyes. But she didn't want to. Her eyelids felt like lead, her whole head too heavy to hold up anymore. She just wanted to sleep.

Booth heard more footsteps outside, yells, orders. Maybe it wasn't Blake. _Maybe…_Booth prayed that it was his team, that the FBI had found them and Brennan would make it out alive. He knew she didn't have much time, and his heart was slowly tearing apart.

And then he heard his name, bellowed across the vast room.

"Angela." He managed to speak above a whisper, but as much as he tried, he couldn't yell. He tried again, with all the strength he had left in him, to speak louder. "**Angela**."

He could hear someone running; pausing in front of the freezer he was stuck in. He could hear locks spinning, orders yelled. It was all happening too fast for his mind to comprehend. Holding her tighter, he whispered her name once more as the door came flying open. Light bathed them, spreading to the corners of the dark freezer, and he could see Angela's dark curls out of the corner of his eye. But he was only focused on one person. Booth knew she was almost, if not already unconscious, and yet it needed to be said.

"Temperance, I—"

A shot echoed through the room, silencing his words.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** So, there's only one more chapter after this. Yep, this is it, the second to last chapter...I know, you're all devestated. (insert i'm-just-kidding smile here) Anyways, I want to take my time with the next one, as it is the last chapter...I'm pretty busy this weekend because it's my brother's high school graduation, but I'm hoping to have the next chapter up by Monday, Tuesday at the very latest. So, review review review...you've only got two more chances, and you know how I love me reviews! Come on, don't make me beg...

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Seely Booth glanced up to see Blake standing before them, gun pointed at Brennan's head.

He heard the bang.

His mind whirred as he screamed, _No!_ But nothing came out, no voice would come. All he could do was stare in horror.

His eyes searched her. She lay still, limp in his arms, but he could see no blood. Head, chest, stomach, legs. Nothing. He checked her over and over, but saw no blood. He sighed, relief overcoming him as he looked back at Blake. His gun was still pointed at them, his hand quivering as Booth saw a pool of crimson seeping through his white shirt. He saw Angela shaking, hand over her mouth to stifle her gasp. He tightened his grip on Brennan as Blake slowly crumbled to the ground, the still silence deafening around him.

Slowly, tentatively, Booth stood, frozen muscles willing him to collapse. He fought the urge, clutching Temperance tighter to his chest, her arms looped around his neck as he began the slow trudge towards light. Towards warmth.

Getting a grip on herself, Angela ran towards him, offering her arm so he could lean on her. He refused. Angela had to chuckle to herself—_That is _so_ Booth_, she thought.

Stepping out of the freezer and into light, Booth saw too many things to comprehend at once. There was Blake, sprawled unmoving on the floor in a pool of blood. There were agents, Cullen and his men, decked out in full Tac Team gear. _Huh, so _now_ they get here_, he thought. If they'd shown up when he first called, he and Bones would've been out hours ago. He saw Angela, afraid and confused, hovering before him. There was Hodgins next to her, a comforting arm around her shoulders as he looked at Booth, Brennan in his arms, with sympathetic eyes. Then, as if coordinated, all eyes turned to Zack.

_Zack_.

He stood alone, brown hair flopping over wide eyes, mouth slightly ajar. His eyebrows were slightly raised, surprise seeping through his face. His usual pale, milky skin had gone white as a ghost. He audibly gulped as he noticed everyone staring at him, watching nervously as their eyes shifted from his face to his hands.

His hands that were shaking, grasped tightly around a cool, black gun pointed at Blake.

Gasps erupted from the crowd—some of relief, some of horror, some of sheer surprise. The pieces refused to fit together. _Zack…shooting someone? _Zack_ killing the bad guy? _Zack_ being the hero?_ None of it made sense to Booth, but then, nothing about these last few hours had made sense.

_Wait a minute. They gave a Squint a gun? What are they, crazy?_

He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He would figure it out later, get the details later. For now he just needed to make sure Brennan was safe.

Cullen nodded towards Booth, making his way through the dissipating crowd to put a comforting hand on his shoulder before handing him a blanket. Booth muttered a small thanks, still focused on one person and one person only.

His Bones.

He took the blanket from Cullen's hands, wrapping it around Brennan instead of himself. He tucked it softly under her chin; her body wrapped up and folded in his arms like a baby. Wiping a strand of auburn hair from her face and pushing it softly behind her ear, he walked towards the ambulance waiting outside, unaware of the many looks of concern he was getting from everyone. Booth set her softly down on the gurney, comfortingly stroking her hand while EMT's assessed her health. Rolling her into the ambulance, Booth was only two steps behind.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we're going to have to ask you to stay he--" The young man was cut off by a piercing glare from Booth as he flashed his badge and began to walk around him. But the man shifted to head him off, lip quivering and voice shaky as he tried again. "I-I'm sorry, sir, but--"

_No way in hell are you keeping me from Bones._

His muscles thawing, Booth easily pushed him out of the way and climbed in after Brennan. He sat, a hand tenderly caressing her cheek, whispering to her as he had done when he first found her.

"Hold on, Bones. Temperance. Don't worry, I'm right here. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. Not again."

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"Okay…_what_ just happened?" Angela had gotten over the initial shock of finding Booth, a not-so-conscious Brennan in his arms, (in his ARMS!) Blake shot, dead and bleeding on the floor, and Zack as the shooter. She had moved on to being completely and utterly baffled.

She turned in her seat to face Hodgins head on, looking at him expectantly. Hodgins took one hand off the wheel of his Mini Cooper and glanced over at Angela next to him. He sighed.

"Honestly, I have no idea. Who'd have thought Zack over here," he gestured to the back seat of the car, where Zack was staring catatonically out the window, "would be the one to shoot the bad guy and save the day? Maybe the FBI cloned him, and--"

"Hod_gie_," Angela sighed, "Come on" Angela took a deep breath, looking out at the passing swirls of green and blue and black, trees and sky and asphalt whooshing by around them. She wiped a silky tear from her cheek. "I wonder if Bren's okay…"

Hodgins placed large, tanned hand on top of Angela's delicate one, squeezing it lightly and looking her square in the eye as he softly reassured her. "She's gonna be fine. Booth won't let anything happen to her. We'll be there soon and then you can see for yourself; she'll be back to healthy, workaholic Dr. Brennan in no time."

Angela didn't respond, just nodded her head and continued to gaze out the window, leaning her head on the edge of her seat. She'd gotten no sleep. Hodgins knew he should change the subject, try and take their mind off the exhausting past hours' events, but he needed some questions answered first. He spoke loudly so Zack could here him above the radio and rumbling sounds from the expressway. "So, Z-man, lucky they gave us guns, eh?" He laughed, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I still can't believe you shot someone. Boy, I wish I was the one that ended that son-of-a--"

"Hodgins," Zack interrupted, breaking from his trance, "it's not as if shooting him is something to be proud of. There's no logical reason to be proud or happy; I ended someone's life. It's sad."

"Zack, you really don't get it, do you?" Hodgins stopped at a red light, turning to look Zack in the eye. "You _saved_ them. Booth and Dr. Brennan both. Blake would have killed them if you hadn't taken that shot. Man," he chuckled as he continued driving, "I still don't know how you saw Blake and got that shot off so quickly. None of the rest of us even saw it coming."

Zack sighed, and muttered a quick, "Yeah." He certainly didn't feel like he had done anything good. Turning into the hospital, Hodgins parked the car, and turned full-on towards Zack. He whispered, so as not to wake up a sleeping Angela in the front seat.

"Zack. You're the hero, dude."

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo**

Even lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to what looked like hundreds of machines, she was beautiful. Her soft, auburn curls were splayed across her pillow, her chest rising and falling peacefully. The only peaceful thing he'd seen in hours.

Sitting in a plush, navy blue chair, Booth watched her intently. His hand was cupped over hers, rubbing small circles on her thumb as he watched her sleep.

Sleep.

God, it had been so long since he'd slept. But even if he wanted to, he couldn't sleep now. Not until he knew, _knew_ that she was fine. Doctors and nurses had assured him that they only needed to keep her the night for observation, that after bringing her body temperature back down to normal and infusing more iron into her bloodstream she would be good as new and discharged in the morning. But Booth couldn't just take their word for it, not with everything that had happened. He couldn't leave her alone.

He jumped as the door creaked open behind him.

Angela poked her head in the room, a cup of steaming coffee in her hand. Her eyes were sunken in, red from crying, and tired like his. She offered him a small half smile, handing him the cup of coffee. He took it gratefully. They didn't need words; both knowing what was on the other's mind. With a quick glance at Brennan, Angela left the room, positive that Booth needed to be alone with her right now.

Booth sighed. He didn't know what to say to her. Should he apologize, for not getting there sooner? For not being able to protect her? _She'd say it wasn't your fault, that you did everything you could,_ he thought. But it **was** his fault, he knew it. If he'd gotten to her sooner, if-if he'd just been able to fight off Blake the first time…

He pressed his head to her hand, a tear dripping down his cheek. "I'm sorry, Bones," he whispered, almost to himself. And then he heard something that made his head snap up immediately, the hope growing in his chest.

"Booth."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** So this is it, guys. The Last Chapter. I'm really sorry it took so incredibly long to get up, over a week, which is really way too long. I know if I was reading I would have freaked out. But since it was the last chapter, I wanted to take my time, so it could live up to everyone's expectations. I hope it does. Big thanks to everyone who reviewed, really, it's what kept me going. And a HUGE shout out to Diggingupbones, who just gave me the most wonderful review I've ever gotten. Seriously, thank you SO much!! And I'm leaving for vacation in Hawaii on Friday, but when I come back, there'll be a new story up and ready. I already have an idea. Okay, I know I'm torturing you here with this long author's note, so on with the fic! And remember to review, its your last chance!!! Once again, thanks to everyone. Now, on with the show!

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Temperance stared hazily into those familiar, chocolate brown eyes. The eyes that gave her solace, the eyes that made her feel at ease. That made her feel loved. The eyes that spilled his emotions, that gazed into hers so many a time.

Now, those eyes were filled with questions. With hurt, with sadness, and as her steel blue eyes met his, filled with hope.

"Bones?" he whispered, a small smile stretching across his lips as he said her name. As he realized that he wasn't just imaging her blue orbs staring back into his, as he realized that there she was, the brilliant and beautiful forensic anthropologist he loved so much laying in front of him. Awake.

Alive.

His smile grew to a grin, his thumb still absentmindedly tracing circles along the soft skin between her thumb and forefinger. He watched as her lips began to curve into a smile, too, never breaking eye contact. They sat in silence, neither thinking of the right thing to say, the right words to show their emotions. All they could do was look, look into the other's eyes, and try to find comfort. Try to convey what they were feeling, the relief they both felt just knowing the other was there.

Angela watched from outside the window, smiling happily to herself for the first time in six hours. She watched her favorite non-couple get lost in each other's eyes, grinning like idiots. She sighed. _Idiots in love_.

They just didn't know it yet.

Hodgins walked up behind her, slipping a strong, tanned arm around her waist and planting a quick kiss on her shoulder, distracting her from her thoughts. Angela leaned her head on his shoulder as he pulled her close, the couple standing content outside the doorway to Brennan's room, eagerly watching the exchange.

"Hey." Brennan's voice was quiet, relaxed, a hint of fear still hidden beneath that one simple word. His smile grew wider as Booth continued to stare into her eyes. _She's alive_.

"Hey." Booth struggled to keep his voice even, straight, not let it crack with the rush of emotions he was feeling. Brennan softly closed her eyes, silently noting that Booth's hand was still on hers, and smiled to herself. But as quickly as she shut her eyes, they popped back open, and Booth could see the fear and the sad and the loneliness flash across them. He squeezed her hand for support, leaning over the bed so she had to look into his eyes once more. "Hey hey, Bones, it's okay, I got you. What's wrong?"

Temperance looked up at Booth, her breath hitching as the caring, tender eyes swept over hers. "I-I just…" She took a deep breath, tried to calm herself before starting again. "It's just that every time I close my eyes, he's there. Every time I close my eyes, I'm back there in that freezer, on-"

Pause.

Deep breath.

"Only you're not there with me, and Angela and Hodgins and Zack, th-they never came, and…" She trailed off as Booth leaned over, wiping a lone tear from her cheek with the pad of his thumb. _Huh_, he thought, _seems like I've been doing that a lot lately_. He didn't mind, not at all.

"Shhh, it's okay, I'm right here. You're safe now. Besides," a small smile crept over his face as he lifted his other hand to cup her cheek, gently rubbing the tender skin along her jaw line as he continued, "you know that even if Zack hadn't shot him, I would have, frozen limbs and all. That son of a bitch didn't stand a _chance_ against me." Booth chuckled lightly as he saw a smile slip across Brennan's lips. Regretfully, he peeled his hand from her face, aware that he had already overstepped his boundaries with her more than once tonight. _Although she didn't seem to mind_, a small voice in the back of his head told him. Damn conscious.

Immediately Brennan missed the warmth of Booth's hand on her cheek. Her eyes flickered down to the sheets on her cot and then quickly up at him, noticing a glint in his eye that she had never seen before. That she couldn't identify. She thought back to what he had said. "Wait a second." Her eyes were wide and her voice was gaining strength, getting closer to the challenging, opinionated tone of the Dr. Brennan he knew and loved. "Did you just say that _Zack_ was the one who shot Blake?"

Booth sighed. He had a lot of explaining to do.

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Sunlight streamed in through the hospital windows, the corridor shining brightly as Seely Booth rolled an extremely temperamental Temperance Brennan around the corner. Apparently, she wasn't one for being pushed around. Even literally.

"Booth, I'm fine, I can walk!" Yep, she was back to normal all right, same old protesting Dr. Brennan. Booth brought the wheelchair to a halt and threw both hands in the air in submission.

"Hey, Bones, doc's orders, not mine." Brennan crossed her arms and turned away from him, a pout settling across her lips. _God, she's cute when she's mad._ Booth laughed as she rolled her eyes and threw him a dirty look over her shoulder. "Oh come on, Bones, admit it, you like having me wait on you hand and foot." He rolled her into the waiting room, the expectant faces of the Squints lighting up as they saw her.

Angela was the first to run over, a giant, white paper bag in her hands. She set the bag down in Brennan's lap, standing to the side of the wheelchair as Temperance looked up at her, questions in her eyes. "Okay, Bren, so I know how much hospital food sucks. And I also know that you were up late working yesterday _anyways_, which means you probably skipped dinner, not like that's a surprise." Small laughs came from the group.

It was true.

"So, anyways, I brought you the necessities. There's a blueberry muffin, chocolate chip cookie dough, a vanilla yogurt, some fresh strawberries, a Hershey's bar, and an extra-large pint of Ben & Jerry's." Angela smiled. "It's New York Super Fudge Chunk," she added, watching Brennan's smile stretch to a full-blown grin.

"Thanks, Ange."

Hodgins and Zack said their goodbyes, leaving with Angela, letting the two partners to themselves. Booth had told Bones not to say anything to Zack, that it would be better that he think she didn't know. Zack was already feeling awkward enough—he wasn't used to being the "Hero", as Booth had called him. It was Booth's job, not his.

Squints weren't heroes.

Then again, Squints didn't usually work in the field, either. They didn't usually solve murders or work with the FBI or write best-selling novels. Nothing about their little family of Squints was normal. It hadn't really been a big deal, Zack thought now. He did it, and now it was over. End of story. But he felt like maybe now he'd earned some more respect, more than just the "goofy little brother" status. Maybe now he'd really be considered a colleague. It was a lot to mull over, and Booth's words kept repeating in his head. _"You're the hero."_ Zack decided he liked it.

And so Brennan had let him be, no thanks, no "what-can-I-do-to-repay-you", no nothing. She just leaned back in her wheelchair and let Booth roll her over towards the elevator, reaching out his hand to help her get up.

She didn't take it.

Booth laughed. Good ol' Bones, never one for chivalry. She could do it on her own. As they waited for the elevator, Booth remembered something.

"Oh yeah, Bones, um… I had Angela bring your car over here, hope you don't mind." Brennan raised an eyebrow at him. _Damn,_ he thought. He had been hoping to avoid this. He shrugged. "You see, um, in my hurry to find you, I kind of left the keys in the car, and, well, Blake, I guess he realized that, and so the SUV, it's kind of, um…"

"Gone?" Brennan supplied. Booth just shrugged again, clearly embarrassed. Brennan laughed. A real, genuine, tears squeezing in your eyes, whole body shaking kind of laugh that hadn't come over her in a long time. Booth was awkward at first, but then joined her, laughing at his own stupidity and the whole situation.

After a few minutes, Brennan got a grip on herself. She looked Booth in the eye and, in all seriousness, posed a question. "Does that mean I get to drive?"

Booth looked into those steel blue eyes once more, a glint in his eye. He couldn't help thinking, not for the first time in the past day, how lucky he was that she was alive. He didn't know what he would have done without her. It was nothing. He would be nothing, no one, a living ghost. Looking into her eyes he saw love, he saw friendship, he saw promise, he saw everything he could ever need.

Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, Booth pulled her close. He planted a soft kiss on her head, squeezed her shoulder, and looked down at her, knowing that everything was going to be okay. It always would.

"Nope."


End file.
